Career Hub

Job Search Tips in Uncertain TImes

Job search can be a daunting process even in the best of times. When unemployment is up and so many well-qualified individuals are in the job market, conducting an effective job search is critical. To compound the task, given the multitude of career choices and job possibilities out there in the world of work, it is no wonder that job seekers are overwhelmed and confused.

Accumulating "best practices" in job search will aid you in maximizing your job search time and impact. You can start here: Anita Bruzzese, author of 45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy, interviewed me recently on her Smash the Ladder with Anita and Diane BlogTalkRadio podcast. Listen in and learn these job search tips:

• Uncovering other job and career possibilities
• Competing in the job-search marketplace
• Using job boards and other job search strategies
• Instilling the essentials in your resume
• Constructing a cover letter that grabs attention
• Avoiding the Internet "black hole" after sending your resume.

Smash the Ladder podcast with Susan Guarneri

In addition, learning from and avoiding the mistakes that so many others make in their job search can put you ahead of your competition. Join LinkedIn and ask questions, turn to your support network for feedback and advice, and explore your industry and occupational field for trends, contacts, and job search strategies.

Remember the saying about doing the same things over and over again, and expecting a different outcome? Expand out of your usual job-search routine and push the envelop on new ideas. For more top-notch job search strategies and tips, check out Job Search Bloopers: Every Mistake You Can Make on the Road to Career Suicide and How to Avoid Them.

Five Tips for Online Resume Optimization

I recently attended the National Resume Writers' Association annual conference in San Diego and had the pleasure of hearing Paul Forster, Co-Founder and CEO of Indeed.com speak. Paul offered some excellent tips for resume optimization that can help job seekers increase the chances that they will be found on a job board. Here are my favorites:

Use full and abbreviated words in your resume. For example, a CFO should include both CFO and Chief Financial Officer in the body of the document. A candidate in the pharmaceuticals industry should use both pharmaceuticals and pharma to describe their industry.

Stem keywords and vary your word choices. For example, rather than just using the word analyst on your resume, include variants such as analysis or financial analyst as well.

Use a text only version of your resume for online posting. Many companies use parsing technology to locate the information they need on a resume. Heavily formatted Word documents may be compromised or unreadable when uploaded into their databases. Save a copy of your resume as an ASCII, plain text document to maximize the chances of having your document read.

Refresh your resume. Recent, fresh resumes appear higher in the database cue. By changing something on the resume you have uploaded to a job board, you increase your chances of being found online. Be careful not to use this technique too frequently or your resume could be perceived as spam.

Don't compromise the reader. While it is important to optimize the resume, it must be done in a way that it still makes sense to the human reader. Be sure to balance the needs of the human reader with search engine optimization techniques to create the best results. Weave word variations into your document in a logical and natural way.

Posted by Barbara Safani

Focus On Reinvention, Not Recession

So the economy is slowing down and business confidence is falling as governments step into bail out financial institutions.   

Does that just mean doom and gloom? For some people, maybe. But for forward-thinking individuals it's a tremendous opportunity to reinvent themselves rather than worrying about all the headlines of recession and downturn.

As many firms go through the painful process of reinventing themselves to meet the demands of a new market place and economy, reinventing yourself and your career is exactly what you should be focused on right now - regardless of whether you have been impacted by restructuring and redundancy.

Here are 5 tips about reinventing your career during a tough market:

1. Stay informed (within reason)
You need to know what is going on in the market-place so that you can evolve to meet the changing needs of the market. But you don't need to read every doom and gloom prediction that's written.

Overdosing on apocalyptic news stories and dire predictions does nothing more than paralyse you with fear - which in turn means you end up doing nothing. 'Doing nothing' is a bad strategy when everything around you is changing so fast.

2. Stay focused on your strengths
Firms in most sectors are rationalising their business to focus on their areas of strength - the core activities where they are uniquely placed to offer the most value to the market.

That's precisely what you should be doing right now: focusing on reinventing yourself around your key strengths and unique talents and then offering them to organisations (your own or others) that can benefit from them. 

3. Focus on fun
Yes, you read right - "fun"

Trying to reinvent yourself into a role that you think you ought to or that other people think "would be a good idea for you" is not a good idea. Any change process involves hard work, hitting brick walls and enduring set-backs.

If you're chasing something which you have little enthusiasm for, then you have little chance of overcoming those set-backs or scaling those brick walls. So focus on indentifying roles which involve activities which you enjoy. Jobs which will utilise the skills which you enjoy using and enable you to work with the people you enjoy engaging with.

4. Experiment much more
Some people know they want to change themselves and their careers, but they just don't know what to change themselves into.

Well here's a secret - you don't need to know. The only way to find out is to start the process of experimentation. Go shadow someone, volunteer your services, go out and try lots of types of roles. And then start noticing what you're drawn to - what you're drawn to is usually a good sign of the type of thing you should be transitioning into.

5. Stay focused on the dream
Most people have some kind of dream. A vision or grand plan for the future lifestyle which they want. It's something that excites them yet scares them at the same time. Now is the time to take notice of that dream. A tough market is an opportunity to tap into that dream - reinvention is the vehicle to help you get there much faster than you had imagined.

So tell me, what's the dream you've always kept to yourself?  How can you use this reinvention process you're embarking on to keep you on track for that compelling vision? Can you in fact go ahead and do it now?

'Reinvention' sounds like a very grand term - something that is the reserve of politicians, actors and showbiz personalities. But that's really not the case. We're all reinventing ourselves throughout our lives and our careers. Reinvention is part and parcel of your growth and development.  In terms of your career, all you're doing is moving from one chapter to the next.

In the globalised and interconnected world we now live in, restructuring is part of everyone's career and so we will all have far more chapters to our careers than previous generations.  Which of course means you potentially have many more stories to tell your grandchildren when you retire.

So treat the current events in the economy as an opportunity to begin that next chapter of your own career. An opportunity to write your own story instead of letting your employers or the headline writers write it for you.

By Sital Ruparelia, Cross posted on the 6 Figure Career Management Blog

Tough Stuff to Talk About

Job loss creates all types of opportunities to start over, move ahead and get on with life and careers. Most of the activities we choose to engage in, in so doing, are good, wholesome, productive, positive, and healthy for us. On the other hand, there are also opportunities for seriously self-destructive, troublesome, unhealthy, damaging, and self-defeating choices, habits and behaviors in response to job loss.

Look around you; by now, most of us know someone who has been impacted by job loss. The reality is that each person responds to job loss in a very, very different way. Pay attention to your friend, loved one, or colleague. How are they doing? Are they really doing okay or are they just saying that to keep the conversation light and airy and to avoid the tough stuff to talk about? Keep in touch. Let others know you care about them. Don't shy away from the person in transition; they need you now more than ever, whether they'll admit it or not.

If you are an individual in career transition, how can you tell if it is time to ask for help from a qualified mental health professional?

* When the way you feel is effecting everything -- your relationships, your life, your eating habits, and your sleeping patterns.

* When you feel like no one cares and nothing matters.

* When you feel like you're getting worse, not better.

* When you feel trapped and don't know where to turn.

* When you worry all the time and can't seem to find the answers.

* When you feel worthless, hopeless, and think more about giving up than going on.

If you are experiencing depression, substance abuse, panic attacks, anxiety issues, addictions or other mental health concerns as a result of job loss, ask for help now from a licensed mental health professional engaged in psychology, psychiatry, or social work who will be there to support your mental health and well-being. There are times when, no matter how good the life coach, career coach, or business coach, the type of help you need is well beyond the scope of a coach's expertise.

You need not be embarrassed or ashamed by asking for help from a mental health provider. Just don't try to go it alone -- there is help! There are people who care much about you. Don't shut them out. And you can get yourself back on track. Listed below are some resources for help and support; if you are aware of other resources, please feel free to add them in a comment.

* Health Hotlines from the National Library of Medicine

* Find A Therapist

* In Crisis? Call now! 1-800-273-TALK (8255) (Veterans - Press 1)

posted by: billiesucher

13% Make Over $100k in 2008

A $100k salary is not what it used to be.

• In 1984, a $100k salary put you in the top 1% of the workforce.
• In 2008, a $100k salary put you in the top 13%.

Actual individual income tax data (as reported by the Tax Foundation using IRS data for the years 1980 thru 2006) was used to make these 2008 estimates. Here is a short summary.

	1%	5%	10%	13%	25%	50%
Act. 1984	$100,889	$55,423	$43,956		$29,360	$15,998
Act. 1996	$227,546	$101,141	$74,986		$45,757	$23,174
Act. 2005	$364,657	$145,283	$103,912		$62,068	$30,881
Est. 2008	$362,000	$156,000	$112,000	$100,000	$66,000	$33,000

For the data source, detailed projections, and the rest of this report, go to http://www.jobbait.com/a/13percent.html.

5 Tips For Managing Your Career In A Crazy Market

”Meltdown Monday,” “Markets Reeling,” “Crash, Bang, Wallop!”

The problems on Wall Street and the ongoing uncertainty within financial services have been a headline writer’s dream this last week. The press and media are full of the problems and dire predictions for the overall economy and job market. Bad news sells, as they say.

But despite all the uncertainty and craziness, you really can still be successful. The focus should be on making your position as secure as possible whilst putting yourself in a strong position just in case something drastic happens to your firm.

Here are some suggestions on how to accomplish this:

1. Be visible by adding value
This is not the time for lengthy breaks or disappearing off the radar. It’s not the time to ‘brown nose’ with superficial ‘profiling’ activities which will do you no good at all. Instead, now is a great opportunity for you to show the value you can create for your firm and their clients. Be a problem solver and value creator by adjusting to the changing needs of the market place. Companies need more problem solvers at the moment, not less. Focus on enhancing your personal brand and reputation by making a difference to the business, their clients and their people.

2. Strengthen your relationships
Your contacts and relationships are key during downturns. So cultivate and strengthen relationships with friends, ex-colleagues, clients and head-hunters. They will be the people you lean on to get you through the next few months if you were to lose your job.

3. Strengthen your finances
If you are impacted in the coming year by a job loss or you decide to take a sabbatical or make a career change then you’ll need to subsidise that. Look carefully at your finances and make sure you’re prepared for whatever happens.

4. Take one day at a time
Don’t worry too much about “having a plan,” - things are far too unpredictable to plan too far ahead. Stay focused on the now and be nimble enough to adjust and be opportunistic as required.

5. Make YOU the priority
In the new world of work, it is vitally importance to think and behave like a freelance consultant or agent rather than an employee ‘tied’ to one employer. Events over the last week illustrate just how important it is to take personal responsibility for your career and think of “Me Inc.” As the fall of Lehman Brothers has shown, you can’t always rely on someone to step in and save you. So be sure to look after your own career first before the interests of everyone else.

As we can see from the various banking mergers last week and from today's historic decision by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to change their status to commercial banks - the large banks are consolidating and refocussing in order to protect themselves and their future.

You should be doing exactly the same thing…..

By Sital Ruparelia, Cross Posted on the 6 Figure Career Management Blog

What 42 Blind Dates Taught Me About Looking for Employment

Once I recovered from a ten-year marriage that ended -  much like being fired when the employer decides you are no longer an asset to the company - I decided I had gone long enough without a steady relationship and I joined a dating service. During the course of a year I had 42 blind dates - and just like a job seeker who racks up plenty of interviews (but few offers), I learned a lot about what it takes to succeed.

Networking is a great way to meet more people and uncover more interview opportunities. Let those in your immediate network know you are in the market for a new relationship and ask them to tell others in their network what you have to offer.

Never turn down an opportunity for an interview. Through every interviewing experience you learn more about the market and yourself and you make contacts that lead you to more opportunities.

We are more attracted to people who show an interest in who we are, what we do, and what we need. Instead of talking incessantly about yourself and what you want and need in a relationship, show more interest in the person on the other side of the table and discuss ways you can fulfill his/her needs.

Holding on to anger from previously failed relationships is not an attractive quality. If you were fired/RIFed/replaced accept it - and move on.

Desperation also is not an attractive quality. Sure you want a new relationship, but if you let the other person know that you are willing to do anything and take anything, you appeared damaged and undesirable.

How you dress for the interview reveals a lot about your personality and how you feel about yourself. If you dress "old" and look "old" you will be seen as someone who is too set in their ways. Likewise, if you show up at a five-star restaurant in a t-shirt and jeans you will come across as uncaring - or just plain ignorant!

Don't try to hide what you perceive as potential barriers to securing a long-term relationship. If you are over 40, have kids, or different life goals you hope to attain, don't try to hide it - once you are in the relationship, these things will reveal themselves.

Decide what will be the next step after the initial meeting. If you are not interested in the second interview, say so. Don't say you will call unless you are going to call.

Pay attention to those subtle clues that this relationship may not be good for you and walk away. Listen to your "gut" and don't second guess your instincts. Don't repeat previous mistakes in the hopes of righting previous wrongs.

Know what you are looking for and you will find it more quickly. If you can visualize - in minute detail - what that ideal relationship looks like, you will confidently discard those that do not measure up and recognize the right fit when it comes along.

Unfortunately, it took me longer than it should have to learn these things, but I had only been in one long-term relationship and my dating experiences were pretty limited. I was getting a lot of poor advice from others who also had limited dating experience and there were no "dating coaches" I could turn to for guidance. As a result, it took me 42 blind dates to finally assemble the correct tools and techniques and execute a targeted search that led me to my ideal relationship.

I am happy to report that I just celebrated my 16th anniversary in this relationship, and although life offers no guarantees, I can assure you that we are both committed to making this one last!

Lehman Employees: Here's What To Do Next

Following on from the collapse of Lehman Brothers on Monday and the continued fall in banking stocks this week, there is widespread concern about what is happening in the financial markets. The press and media are full of nightmare stories of what this may mean for the wider economy and levels of unemployment across other sectors.   

But Lehman employees - and indeed job searchers in other sectors, would be well advised to stop listening to all the noise, and instead focus on moving forward with a plan that will secure their next role.

Easier said than done, I know. But here are 6 steps that will help:

1. Ensure you don’t lose your Lehman contacts 

In a tough market, it’s your network that you will lean on for help and support. Your colleagues, clients and internal stakeholders will know what you’re capable of more than most - and so they will always be the best people to recommend you to their contacts. Yes, they may also be looking for jobs, but the more you collaborate in your search, the more successful you will all be.

2. Get clear about what you want 

Do you want to continue in the same type of role? Do you want to change into a different part of the industry or is it time for a career change, leaving the sector completely?   Recruiters and your contacts can’t help you unless they know what you want to do.

3. Be clear about what makes you different

With fewer vacancies and more people on the market, you need to have an edge to stand out. So get really clear about your skills and knowledge along with the value you have created for Lehman Brothers, their clients and counter parties - and how that differentiates you from the competition.

4. Develop a compelling marketing message

Articulate a clear message about the value you bring and how that makes you stand out. The ‘message’ needs to be in the form of a punchy, high quality resume, a covering letter, and your answer to the “so what do you want to next?” question.

5. Get out in a big way

In the current market, you cannot rely on head hunters and a few contacts to find your next role. You should be searching via multiple channels – head hunters, contingency recruiters, job boards, newspaper and magazine adverts, direct applications and of course your network.

Networking in fact should be the primary focus. I recently talked on my own blog about how the cost of recruitment is under pressure in many companies. In an attempt to reduce costs, firms want to rely less on recruitment firms and do much more direct sourcing and hiring via employee referal programmes.

So ensure your search reflects this by gaining the help of contacts and referrals instead of just focussing on recruiters and job boards. And ensure you use social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook to leverage your online network for suitable opportunities.

6. Be flexible

Whilst it’s important to be clear about what you want, it’s also healthy (and sometimes pragmatic) to remain open-minded.  Be open about working in different roles, other parts of the industry and indeed looking at suitable opportunities in other sectors which your skills can translate into.

For many employees such those at Lehman Brothers, potentially losing your job during a downturn can seem like the end of the world.

But it’s usually not. In fact, approached in the right way, you can turn what seems like a major set-back into a golden opportunity to start building the career and lifestyle you have always wanted. Just stop focusing on the bad news and instead stay focused on some of the solutions outlined above.

By Sital Ruparelia: Cross Posted on the 6 Figure Career Management Blog

The Power of Words

Mark Twain taught us..."The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter -- 'tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning."

When it comes to resume writing and interviewing, you will want to give serious consideration to each and every word you choose to speak about you and your brand. Intentionally select words that will align yourself (you the product) with the employer's needs.

Before you put together your resume, or before you hit the streets to interview, do your word homework. This activity is vitally important because the very words that you use on paper and in person telegraph to the employer that you "get it" or that you don't. And hopefully, you "get" what their needs are and have crafted a document that proves without question why you can do the job you say you're interested in doing. The same holds true for interviewing; when you go to an interview, speak with words that best relate to the job you're after.

For years, when I have asked clients to tell me three words that best describe them, I repeatedly hear this trio: 1. loyal  2. honest  3. hardworking. Imagine for a moment that you're the hiring manager...how many hundreds (or thousands) of times do you think you have heard these very words? These words, while good words, are not the best words to describe the unique, distinct, one and only you. To be sure, you will not distinguish yourself from your competition by echoing what others have already said.

If you are describing your brand with the same ole, same ole words, now is the time to find some new and improved descriptors. Deliberately choose words for your resume and interview that prove to the reader, or listener, that you can do the job. When you are responding to a job posting, carefully scrutinize and analyze the opportunity for its keywords. The employer is giving you a few hints; take heed of the words they're offering. Have you included any of their words in your resume, or in your interview with them?

Here are three resources that you may find helpful in finding alternative word choices to describe you and your brand, if you are struggling to figure it out:

1. Occupational Outlook Handbook

2. O*net Online

3. Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus: Updated & Expanded 2nd Edition

Fired. Mired. Tired. Hired. Words are but the vague shadows of the volumes we mean. Little audible links, they are, chaining together great inaudible feelings and purposes ~ Theodore Dreiser, 1900.

posted by: billiesucher

Congratulations on your new job - NOT!

Just came across a new branding blog Dim Bulb by Jonathan Salem Baskin, author of Branding Only Works on Cattle and saw this post today - a memo to Mark Snyder the new VP- Chief Marketing Officer at K-Mart congratulating him on his new job.

Whilst humorous (and biting) it still makes some very important points about the changing landscape for branding - and made me think equally about how that impacts personal branding and managing your career.

• Focus - it's no longer about touchpoints, get out there and find where the hiring managers form, make and actually hire - forget the traditional apporaches to finding a job
• Living - find organizations where everyone is really living the culture and values that are a fit for you, not just paying lip service to some mission statement that means nothing and they have not had a say in creating and developing
• Influencing - working for organizations where that brand extends beyond its own walls (virtual or otherwise) and makes a difference to all that it touches - suppliers, customers, community.

Make sense?